2 Minnesota Twins They smoothly field questions about their future--and every ball hit their way

There are few meaningful methods of measuring defense availableto the common fan. Fielding percentages are notoriouslymisleading, and do you really want to be the kind of person whoknows what "range factor" is, let alone how to apply it? Perhapsthe best way to assess defense is to simply sit around and watcha lot of TV. Twins righthander Joe Mays did just that last year,and he can now make a pretty compelling argument that Minnesotahas the American League's best defense. Says Mays, "Just lookhow many times we were on Web Gems. I mean, every night."

The Twins finished fifth in the league in fielding percentagelast season, but that understates the contribution the glovemenmade, especially to the collective state of mind of the pitchingstaff. "As pitchers we can go out there and relax because weknow that the defense is going to be behind us," says Mays,whose emergence gives the Twins a trio of front-of-the-rotationstarters--Brad Radke, Eric Milton and Mays--who won 47 gameslast year, five fewer than the Yankees' big three. Minnesotaalso has a reliable fourth starter in 36-year-old Rick Reed.

The defense behind that impressive rotation is full ofhighlight-reel regulars. Centerfielder Torii Hunter and firstbaseman Doug Mientkiewicz won Gold Gloves, and with RobertoAlomar no longer playing alongside Omar Vizquel in Cleveland,the Twins' double-play combo of Cristian Guzman and Luis Rivasis the league's best. Frequently overshadowed, however, is CoreyKoskie, who in a few short years has transformed himself from agoofball Canadian puckstopper into a goofball Canadian who hasbeen the AL's most consistent third baseman over the past twoseasons.

Koskie, 28, grew up in Manitoba, where he played volleyball andhockey. Baseball was little more than a diversion, and when heand his friends did play, there was very little practiceinvolved. "If the game was at six o'clock," says Koskie, "we'dget there at 5:45, throw a little and play." He finally gavebaseball his undivided attention in 1992 when, unable to get aDivision I hockey or volleyball scholarship because he hadn'ttaken the SAT, he enrolled at Des Moines Area Community Collegein Boone, Iowa, which didn't even offer hockey or volleyball.

Because Koskie got serious about the game so late in life, hiscoaches inundated him with fundamental drill work, whichactually hampered him. "I thought he was too robotic," says newmanager Ron Gardenhire. "I wanted him to be more of an athlete."Gardenhire, who as a coach has worked with Koskie since 1997,finally told him to forget about trying to be mechanicallyperfect and instead to draw on his two years of playing goaliefor the Selkirk Steelers of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League."Gardy said, 'You're a goalie. Catch the ball like a glove save.Don't fight it,'" Koskie says.

Koskie also helps keep things loose in the clubhouse, which isimportant since the Twins will play this season knowing that ifbaseball contracts, they might not be together next year.Koskie's role is to dish out the occasional insult, but moreoften to serve as the butt of his teammates' wisecracks, usuallyat the expense of his wardrobe or his homeland. "Well, he's fromCanada, so he has kind of this deranged sense of humor," saysinfielder Denny Hocking, unable to resist taking a poke at hispal. "Not the sharpest blade in the drawer, know what I mean?"

Koskie, who missed more than two weeks this spring with abruised right wrist, had a career year at the plate last season,finishing one homer behind Hunter, who led the team with 27.That number illustrates Minnesota's lack of pop. The team hasn'thad a 30-home-run hitter since 1987. But the Twins like to relyon a more slump-proof aspect of the game. "Our defense is stillgoing to be there," says Mays. "It's going to be strong again."As are the Twins. --Mark Bechtel

COLOR PHOTO: JOHN BIEVER Always a decent hitter, Koskie, a former junior hockey goalie, has become known for his glove saves.COLOR PHOTO: CRAIG AMBROSIO/GETTY IMAGES REED

"Talentwise the Twins are fine. The most interesting thing willbe to see how differently they play under a new manager. Theywon a lot of games on discipline, little ball and beingoveraggressive, but I'm not sure that will be the case with RonGardenhire. Will Torii Hunter think he needs to hit 30 homers?Will Doug Mientkiewicz and Jacque Jones stay in adisciplined-aggressiveness mode or start playing fancy-Joebaseball? So far I haven't really seen the same club as lastyear.... If you can get to this team in the sixth or seventhinning, they're in trouble. The top four starters--Brad Radke,Eric Milton, Joe Mays and Rick Reed--will have to average seveninnings per game. If any four can do it, it's those four. Reedwill have a better year than last season; not being a stuff guy,he had to learn the hitters.... The catching will be solid. A.J.Pierzynski and backup Tom Prince may be the best catching tandemin the league. A year from now Pierzynski will be an every-dayplayer. He has soft hands and hits well in the clutch. That's asign of a real quality player.... This is a plus defensive clubin the infield. They're plus-plus at first, third and short, andLuis Rivas is no slouch at second. They're a built-for-turfteam.... Cristian Guzman's arm is sound, and he'll be back for afull season. He's a good turf hitter and has quick feet, a quickrelease and a solid to above-average arm.... Brian Buchanan is aplus runner for a big man, but he's an adequate outfielder atbest."